(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] Pakistan captain Babar Azam is reportedly poised to step down from his leadership role in both ODIs and T20Is following team’s exit from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Pakistan’s elimination from the ongoing tournament in India, without progressing to the semifinals, has prompted this decision.
Babar Azam, at the helm during various multi-nation ICC events like the T20 World Cup 2021 and 2022, and the current ODI World Cup, saw Pakistan fall short in claiming any of these titles.
Not only in limited-over formats, but Babar also failed to create any significant impact with his leadership in Test cricket. Pakistan lost both home series against Australia and England in 2022.
On the eve of Pakistan’s last league match of the competition against England, Babar was asked about his removal as the captaincy by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to which the 29-year-old skipper replied, “PCB will discuss my captaincy once the World Cup ends and we go back to Pakistan because, for now, I am only focused on the remaining league match in this World Cup.”
However, a Geo News report now suggests that Babar himself will leave the stage vacant and will continue to play in the white-ball formats without any captaincy pressure on his shoulders.
Regarding the Test captaincy, it remains uncertain whether PCB will retain Babar or not. The upcoming crucial away Test series against Australia is just a month away and the PCB may not want to make any major change just before that.